Transactions and Payments

TX-1: Digital-First Approach

Group: Transactions and Payments

Control Statement

Design digital transactions to be fully digital from start to finish, unless otherwise stated in legal regulations.

Control Recommendations

Avoid requiring non-digital interactions such as physical signatures, paper-based approvals, or in-person submissions as part of a digital service.

Implement digital signature solutions such as Singpass, and enable common digital payment methods like credit card and Paynow.

Rationale

A transaction that is not fully digital diminishes the convenience of being able to transact anywhere and anytime.

TX-2: Transaction Prerequisites

Group: Transactions and Payments

Control Statement

Provide all information required to complete the transaction before the start of the transaction.

Control Recommendations

Information to include where applicable:

a) Prerequisites or eligibility criteria

b) Estimated completion time/time range

c) Required documents and accepted file formats

d) Cost and payment modes available

Rationale

Knowing the information and documents required allows end users to assess their readiness and ability to complete the transaction before committing to it.

TX-3: Break Down Long Transactions

Group: Transactions and Payments

Control Statement

Break long transactions down into logical steps or sections.

Control Recommendations

Group related input fields together to reduce cognitive load and streamline data entry.

Rationale

Makes long or multi-step tasks feel more manageable.

TX-4: Progress Indicators

Group: Transactions and Payments

Control Statement

Provide progress indicators for multi-step transactions.

Control Recommendations

Use a clear and intuitive design to visually convey the process and progress.

Rationale

Progress indicators can help end users estimate time required for a task, and know their progress within a transaction or flow.

TX-5: Save Draft Function

Group: Transactions and Payments

Control Statement

Provide a save draft function for long transactions.

Control Recommendations

Ensure the option to save drafts is clearly visible and accessible. Provide clear feedback when a draft has been saved and provide easy access to retrieve and resume the draft.

Rationale

Some transactions have long estimated completion time or many fields. An option to save and continue later provides end users with the flexibility of performing the transaction in chunks, and assurance that input can be retrieved if something goes wrong.

TX-6: Pre-fill Data

Group: Transactions and Payments

Control Statement

Pre-fill forms with known data where applicable;

Where SingPass/CorpPass is used, provide the option to pre-fill personal or business data with MyInfo and Enterprise Data Hub (EDH).

Control Recommendations

Properly assess accuracy and relevance of any pre-filled data before implementation.

Rationale

Pre-filled data saves end users time and minimises the risk of errors from manual input.

TX-7: Payment and Refund

Group: Transactions and Payments

Control Statement

Provide payment and refund information before payment is made.

Control Recommendations

Ensure this information is easily accessible on the payment page and before the start of the transaction.

Rationale

Being transparent and upfront about payment related details reassures end users and minimises the unpleasantness of rectifying an error.

TX-8: Managing Stored Payment Details

Group: Transactions and Payments

Control Statement

Allow updating and removal of stored payment details in all digital services involving payments.

Control Recommendations

Provide clear instructions and confirmation prompts to guide end users through the process to minimise errors.

Rationale

Provides end users with control over sensitive payment information.

TX-9: Success or failure message

Group: Transactions and Payments

Control Statement

Display a success or failure message at the end of the transaction.

Control Recommendations

Use familiar and unambiguous visual cues, such as clear copy, iconography, and colour(e.g. green for success, red for failure) to enhance immediate recognition.

Rationale

Clear feedback on the outcome of the transaction reassures end users.

TX-10: Failed Transaction Details

Group: Transactions and Payments

Control Statement

Provide the following details for failed transactions:

• a) Clear reasons for failure or rejection (unless limited by policy considerations)

• b) Alternative actions

• c) Channels for appeals or further enquiries

Control Recommendations

Ensuring explanations are clear and as detailed as possible within policy constraints.

Rationale

Providing specific and actionable information to end users when a transaction fails allows them to quickly understand the reasons, and resolve issues if applicable.

TX-11: Payment details

Group: Transactions and Payments

Control Statement

Display payment details once payment has been completed.

Control Recommendations

Important payment details include:

i) Acknowledgement code or receipt number (where applicable);

ii) Transaction date;

iii) List of products and/or services transacted (where applicable);

iv) Chosen digital payment mechanism (where applicable);

v) Amount paid

Payment information can be displayed on the success screen and/or sent via other acknowledgement channels. Consider providing the option to download or print the receipt for record-keeping.

Rationale

Transactions involving payment are important to end users. Post transaction acknowledgement serves as a secondary check and can potentially reduce the consequences of errors.

TX-12: Transaction Outcome

Group: Transactions and Payments

Control Statement

Provide an estimated timeframe for the transaction outcome when it is not immediately available.

Control Recommendations

This information can be provided before the start of the transaction, on the submission success screen, and/or in acknowledgement or receipts.

Rationale

Keeping users informed about when to expect a decision reduces uncertainty and manages user expectations.

TX-13: Post-transaction Acknowledgement

Group: Transactions and Payments

Control Statement

Send and/or allow download of an acknowledgement after a successful transaction.

Control Recommendations

Send acknowledgement via channels like SMS, email, push notification, or in-app notifications. Ensure that the acknowledgment includes key details about the submission.

Rationale

Allowing the end user to retain a receipt or acknowledgement of the transaction that can be revisited provides reassurance that the submission or transaction has been received.

TX-14: Transaction Status Updates

Group: Transactions and Payments

Control Statement

Provide notifications when there are updates to transaction status.

Control Recommendations

Notifications can be sent via SMS, email, push notification, or in-app notifications.

Rationale

An active approach of notifying end users when they are updates to their transaction status reduces the need to manually check, and allows for timely follow-ups.

TX-15: Tracking Transaction Status

Group: Transactions and Payments

Control Statement

Enable online tracking of transaction status.

Control Recommendations

Provide clear status labels and descriptions, estimated completion timelines, and any required end user actions.

Rationale

Allowing end users to track their transactions online increases transparency and builds trust. The ability to self-service provides a sense of control, reducing anxiety for users, and reducing reliance and load on customer support.